have FAITH see CHANGE

This weekend, in my yoga teacher training course at OM yoga center, we began to delve into the teachings of The Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali.

Patañjali organized the study of yoga. He wrote the Yoga-Sutras in the second or third century and people still use it today as a guide for observing the human mind. The word sutra means thread, an appropriate description of the work, as Patañjali threaded and interspersed the ancient yogic ideas with practical meditative techniques.

According to Chip Hartfranft's translation the Yoga-Sutra is a, "collection of 196 compact observations on the nature of consciousness and liberation [that] remains unrivaled for its penetrating insight. Though brief, the Yoga-Sutra manages to cut to the heart of the human dilemma."


This is one of my favorite quotes from the translation...

"The forces that give rise to change exist before change becomes visible."

To me this comes down to having FAITH. Faith that you are where you are supposed to be at any given moment.

Do you ever feel like you're NEVER going to get what you want?
Or that you've been working SO hard towards one goal, which always seems to be unattainable?

I do and I often find myself getting stuck in the "What If's" of a situation.
What if I don't make enough money?
What if I never lose those 5lbs?
What if my foot pain never goes away?
What if I'm single forever?

And then when things do happen, (I financially support myself, I make positive changes to my body image, my injuries heal, I'm in an amazing relationship, etc.) I look back on the stress and worry of the "What Ifs" and wish I could've just relaxed and had faith that everything would work out.

This reminds me of my previous post Living RIGHT NOW! with a Buddha Body
If I have FAITH that I am doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing RIGHT NOW! then it is impossible to label something 'good' or 'bad'. If something is neither good nor bad, it just Is. If everything just Is at any given moment in time, then you can feel content in knowing that you are on your path. The forces that give rise to the changes you want may be unrecognizable to you until after the change has occurred.

All you need is FAITH that you are on your path!

(cue Beatles song)

;)